The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-29
A LONELY WATCH.


A woman sat resting on fallen tree
by the side of one of the wagon roads
thatIie in the lonesome districts of the
James rivera woman neither young
nor handsome, yet who attracted atten-
ton by her wild appearance and the
soualor of her attire, which was not the
outcome OF poverty so much as OF dis
tress and neglect. Alone, unpro-
tected by anything save 'gaunt dog
she yet commanded the respect OF all
who saw her, and the few travellers q
mountaineers who passed her inyolun-
tarilv bowed, or if they addressed her.
| did so with Utmost ciyiIltys Some hung
in her dropping figure and dtspaiIine
attitude as she sat there, 1eCalledtha,
mythical daughter of Pluto on her des
pelate search, or that heroine of moderl
tiuIes-,he Evangline of Aoeadia-whel
She said: Gabriel, o my beloved" Bul
neither traveller tplodding mountain
Ger thought of that. Only one MAI
mace bold to ask her what she was
doing there, and the night coming or.
Turning her sunken eyes that CLEANED
with the fires OF INSANITY upon him, sh,
answeredvaguely;
! liam a loUkIn' for the children"
Come from ovah thar" he inquired
"Ya'as, she answered slowly, AN IL
goln fur yer haln't seen no children
playin' around ?'
Nat least no estrays. Be they lost
far away?"
Yes, stranger, but me an Dookll
iDd en-. Come Dock" and she arose
and went YEARLY away. 81. r1t
"Luny," said the man, looking after
her; "luny, as l liv', Wa'sl folks as is
folks, allus cares for SIGH as her," ana
ne resumed his journey, going off with
The r. gular jog trot step. indigenous TO
the natives of that region. 3ft5t5
AT turn in the road he nearly ran
into mana long, shambhng creature
dressed in mountaineer's suit of but
ternut jeans, and swinging a rickely
rife.
"Pint her t'other way, stranger -
said the mountaineer. 81 amt nowise
inclined 10 be fixed tonight. Revenoo,
hey" with knowing look which the
other man ignored, as he inquired
Hey We seen aWoman goin' along
yeahabouts kind O. down in the mouth
with an sick lookin, and yaller hound
with lop yeahs ?"
''Jes parted with 'em, stranger; she
were lookIn' for the children. Dye
bl'ong to the same party, an hev We
found the young ones ?"
The children's all rite, it's her I'm
after; much obleeged, mister, an good
day."
watched the tall retreatiDg figure.
"Haint l seen that coon skin some
whar ?s.Seems likely ez not" and he
resumed his twice interrupted march.
The woman had walked on, and as it
grew dark, she was conscious of some
thing that she missed. Vaguely she
looked around.
Its the children" she said aloud,
there amt nothin' else gone? Lemme
see. Come yeah, Dock"
Then she saw that the dog had disap-
peared, and after calling him for few
minutes, she walked on, but soon she
stopped, wavered, and fell in a heap BY
the wavside. She was aroused by q rain
of kisses. They fell on her closed eyes,
her feverish cheeks and her weak and
wasted hands. She raised herself on
her elbow.
Dock" she said family, we didn't
go for TO leave me, did ye? | thought
We had desarted me-"
Then she lifted her eyes from the
affectionate humble friend, and saw the
man leaning on his rife.
Hey We found the children, Rick ?"
she cried, leaping to her feet. No, We
hain't know it by yer looks"
Come home, Tilly," said the man
gently, we told me when l went on the
sill hunt you'd stay an, watch! Ye
amt been faithful ter what We prom
Sed.'
II was lookin' TO the children" she
said humbIy. Il thought ye'd be that
glad to see EN- yer wouldn' mind my
comm away. Be you mad with, me,
Rick?"
1T wouldn't be no use, lilly. Come
on home, an ter night I'll watch an ye
can sleep. -
II must look for the children. Rick"
What the use of lookin' any mo-?
They re home now"
De lOey CT might nave IOlQ me
that! I'll go back with you-if-I-
kim"
She staggered from weakness. The
man helped her along, tenderly enough,
but in a mechanical way. They walked
and talked like people 10 a dream.
1t was midnight when they reached
the lonely cabin on the side OF the
mountain that they called home. The
sky was studded with stars and a wan
ing moon had risen. A white fog, thin
aud vapory. stole over the forests and
the open spaces, and gave a ghostly
paller to the landscape. The cabin door
stood open.
The woman was scarcely able to
stand. She rubbed her eyes hard and
cluUg TO her husband.
Hev been dreamin' ?" she asked in
a whisper.
Yes, he answered gently, "dreamin
about the children then in q tone of
left them al ne last
night. lilly, when 1 wasn't here TO
watch with them"
Pm clean done out" she mosned.
. forget sometimes an go lookin' for
EN-. Rick, will you watch tonight and
let me sleep?''
II calkerlated tew," he answered.